Content adaptation: Transform and optimise your message for a global impact that's culturally relevant
When Netflix needs to rewrite entire dialogues to capture local humour, or a Coca-Cola advert in China wants to play on emotions attached to the Lunar New Year, it becomes clear that a simple change in language is no longer enough. Content adaptation has become an essential strategy for any brand looking to reach an international audience. It's not just a question of translating words, but of making a real cultural and emotional adjustment. The aim? To transform international brand content for global impact while respecting each cultural nuance.
What is content adaptation?
Content adaptation is not just about translating words from one language to another. It means reformulating and sometimes even completely rethinking a message so that it fits perfectly in each market's cultural context. A slogan that works in the United States may seem inappropriate or lack meaning in China if specific cultural elements are not taken into account.
This approach ensures that the message is not just understood, but that it also resonates deeply with the target audience. This means taking into account things like local values, cultural references, communication preferences and even more subtle aspects like tone and humour. For example, a marketing campaign that uses dark humour, which is very popular in Europe, might be badly perceived in certain parts of Asia where standards of politeness and respect are stricter.
Adaptation therefore allows you to create messages that are not only linguistically correct, but also culturally relevant, facilitating a better emotional connection with a brand’s audience. Ultimately, this encourages more authentic communication, builds trust and boosts engagement with local consumers.
Transcreation: The art of recreating the message
When it comes to strong marketing campaigns, transcreation is key. This term refers to situations where a text's message needs to be recreated from scratch, rather than simply translated, so that it evokes the same emotion in every market. Why? Because what works in New York might fall short in Paris or Tokyo. A slogan based on a play on words in English may lose all meaning in another language, for example. Transcreation preserves the essence of the message while adapting it to local cultural codes.
To take a concrete example, when a major global sports brand wanted to launch a campaign centred around female empowerment, the message was composed to meet cultural expectations in Western Europe, but had to be reworked for Asia, where values associated with women’s image can differ. This is the kind of meticulous work we carry out at Datawords, to ensure optimum local impact.
Audiovisual translation: Subtitling or dubbing, a strategic choice
In the audiovisual world, content adaptation often takes the form of subtitling or dubbing. These two techniques enable brands to make their videos accessible to international audiences, but they meet very different needs.
- Subtitling: This technique is popular due to its speed and lower cost. It allows the original voice to be retained while providing immediate comprehension via subtitles. However, it requires attentive reading and can divert part of the viewer's attention. This is often the method chosen for corporate videos or documentaries, where it’s crucial that authenticity is respected.
- Dubbing: When user experience is the main priority, dubbing is the best option. It replaces the entire soundtrack with one that’s adapted to the target language. Dubbing is key for formats such as TV series and films, where immersion is essential. But it’s also a more expensive and complex process. Brands must therefore choose based on the type of content they're using and the expectations of their audience.
Each market has its own preferences. In Germany, for example, dubbing is preferred, while subtitling takes precedence in the Nordic countries. At Datawords, we advise our clients on the most appropriate choice for each market in order to maximise engagement.
Content adaptation is about more than just translation. It’s a powerful strategic tool for brands looking to make a global impact while remaining locally relevant. Whether through transcreation, subtitling or dubbing, each approach aims to optimise a message's ability to resonate with the specific cultural sensitivities of each market.
Adaptation of all types of content: An opportunity to reach every audience
Beyond advertising campaigns and videos, almost all types of content can benefit from cultural adaptation. Here's an overview of the different formats that, when carefully adapted, can multiply brands’ impact around the world:
- Semantic content on websites: Adapting website text for a local audience doesn’t just mean translating it. Internet users' expectations vary from one culture to another, whether in terms of writing style, choice of SEO keywords, or even in terms of promoting certain aspects of the product or service. The adaptation of semantic content is therefore essential for optimizing user experience and improving localized SEO in each language.
- Social media video content: Each social media platform has its own local specificities. A video designed for YouTube in France will not work in the same way on WeChat in China, or KakaoTalk in South Korea. It’s crucial to adapt not only the message, but also the format, length and style of the video to suit the platform and target audience.
- VO and pre-roll advertising: Voice-overs and pre-roll ads (those short video adverts shown before TV programs or YouTube videos, for example) need to be adapted to ensure that they capture their audience's attention from the very first second. Here, using the right accents, local expressions or music that speaks to the local audience can make all the difference.
- Digital banners: For online advertising banners, adaptation is not only limited to translating the text. Visuals must be chosen with care, as must the layout and the tone of the call to action, which can vary from one market to another.
- Marketing e-mails: E-mail marketing is another key channel where cultural adaptation is essential. The spacing, length of messages, formalities and images used need to be adjusted to meet local expectations and maximize open and click-through rates.
- Immersive and interactive content: With the emergence of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), brands also need to think about how to adapt their immersive experiences. Interactions in these environments need to be mindful of the cultural preferences, gestures and behaviors specific to each region.
Content adaptation is about more than just translation. It’s a powerful strategic tool for brands looking to make a global impact while remaining locally relevant. Whether through transcreation, format adaptation, subtitling or dubbing, each approach aims to optimise a message's ability to resonate with the specific cultural sensitivities of each market.
At Datawords, our expertise in cultural adaptation enables us to help brands transform their communication into a real tool with international influence. Contact us to find out how we can help you with your large-scale content adaptation strategy.
